ProjectSummary/Abstract AsNewAngus,LLCmovesforwardwiththereopeningoftheformerNorthernBeefPackersslaughter facilityinnorthernSouthDakota,wearepoisedtoseeasignificantincreaseinthenumberofNorth Dakotabeefanddairyanimalsmovingdirectlyfromfarmsorranchestothepointofprocessinginto humanfood.UnderstandingandemployingBestManagementPracticesbyproducersandadherenceto adequatewithdrawalperiodswillbecriticallyimportanttoensuredrugresiduefreefoods. Althoughitisaseparateissue,thepublic'sconcernwiththeuseofantimicrobialdrugsinanimal healthprogramsandhowitrelatestoantibioticresistantbacteriaaffectinghumanhealthcareis integrallyrelated.FDAsJudiciousUseInitiativeplacestheuseofmedicallyimportantantibioticsunder thecontrolofveterinariansbyre?categorizingthoseproductsasVeterinaryFeedDirective(VFD)drugs. ThemajorityofNorthDakotansinthelivestockindustrywanttodotherightthing.Currently,many livestockproducersarenotawareofallthatisexpectedofthemwhenadministeringdrugstofood producinganimals,forexamplethekeepingofwrittentreatmentrecords.Notallveterinarians appreciatetheirresponsibilitiesforassuringdrugresiduefreeanimalderivedfoods.Fewveterinarians andproducershavebeguntounderstandtherequirementsforthelegaldistributionofVFDproducts. Complicatingmatters,severalentitiesarestartingtoconductinformationalmeetingsontheissueand variousinterpretationsofthenewrulesarepresentedcreatingadegreeofconfusion. Ourproposalisbuiltonthepremisethatlivestockproducerstendtorelyonadvicefrompeoplethey knowandthepeoplethatknowthoseproducersoperations.Veterinarians,ExtensionAgents,andlocal agri?businessesarethemosttrustedsourcesofinformation.WewillbeworkingwithFDA,ourstate veterinarians,ExtensionSpecialists,andprivateindustrytodevelopaconsistentmessagewhichwillbe supportedbyjointlycreatedhandoutmaterialsandapackagedPowerPointpresentation.Laptops preloadedwiththepresentationandprojectorswillbeloanedtothoseveterinarians,Extensionagents, publicemployees,orothersthatattendatrainthetrainercourse.Audienceresponsetechnologywillbe usedtoevaluatecommunicationseffectiveness.Follow?upsurveyswillbeusedtomeasurethe implementationofprincipalstaught. Aftertheconclusionofthecooperativeagreementinthreeyears,theworkingrelationships establishedcancontinuetoeffectivelyconducteducationaloutreach.